Structural element for corner construction



Dec. 14, 1965 P. N. COLLIN E L STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR CORNER CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 6, 1963 4% mac nw Z/L g M PP W v. M N W ted States Patent C) 3,222,836 STRUCTURAL ELEMENT FOR CORNER CONSTRUCTION Paul N. Collin, Golf, and Paul W. Collin, Park Ridge,

11]., assignors to Allmetal Weatherstrip Company,

Evanston, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 256,664 8 Claims. (Cl. 52-281) This invention relates to a structural element for use in the construction of buildings and more particularly to a partitioning element which can be used to support studs and wall paneling present in the corner construction of a building frame.

In conventional construction, use is made of three studs combined to define a corner section to which the wall panels, such as wall boards, lath and plaster, can be secured to define a wall panel which extends substantially perpendicularly with reference to other panels extending in somewhat the same plane from the opposite sides of the stud assembly. Such construction in a corner section requires large amounts of expensive studding and excessive amounts of expensive labor are required to effect the described assembly thereby materially to increase building costs.

In structures that have previously been built, such as old structures, it is difiicult properly to introduce additional studding of the type required to effect such corner construction or partitioning. As a result, even the expensive techniques described are not capable of being properly adapted to such old construction.

It is an object of this invention to produce a new and improved partitioning element which can be used in old structures as well as in new construction properly to support wall paneling in its desired relationship in a corner section and it is a related object to provide a structural element of the type described which can be fabricated on a mass production basis of relatively low cost and readily available materials; which can be relatively inexpensively fabricated in one piece of high strength and relatively rigid structural material, such as metal; which can be readily installed in position of use as a base element for support of studs and wall panels in a corner section between partitioning members.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a structural element embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevational view in section of the structural element of FIG. 1 in position of use as a partitioning element;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to that of FIG. 3, showing a modification in the structural element embodying the features of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to those of FIGS. 3 and 4, showing a further modification;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to those of FIGS. 3 4 and 5, showing a still further modification; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to those of FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, showing another modification in a structural element which can be used as a partitioning support.

The structural member of this invention is employed in combination with conventional elements of a wall in a frame construction including a top plate 10, a bottom sill 12 which is adapted to rest upon the flooring 14, and vertically disposed studs 16 occasionally fixed in spaced apart relation between the still 12 and the plate 10.

The structural member of this invention is adapted to be secured to the sill 12 and plate 10 to define a partitioning member in support of wall panels 20 and studs 22 making up the partitioned wall section. As illustrated in the drawing, the structural member 24 comprises a unitary strip of sheet metal which is dimensioned to have a length greater than the distance between the sill 12 and plate 10 but preferably less than the distance between the upper edge of the plate 10 and the lower edge of the sill 12.

The sheet metal structural member is formed with a central flat base 26 having nail holes 28 in the upper end portion 30 and nail holes 32 in the lower end portion 34 and preferably, but not necessarily, with an additional outer end portion 36 at the upper end being bent to extend forwardly substantially perpendicularly from the base plate with nail holes 38 being formed therein.

In position of use the upper end portion 30, containing the nail holes 28, is adapted to be fixed to the front face of the plate 10 by nails 40 while the lower end portion 34 is adapted to be fixed to the front face of the sill 12 by the nails 42.

In the length between the sill 12 and the plate 10, the sheet metal member is formed wit-h a pair of channel sections 44 and 46 facing laterally in the direction away from each other. Each such channel section is formed with an inner wall 48 integrally joined at its outer edge to the outer edge of the base member and spaced in substantially parallel relationship therewith, an outer wall 50 in parallel relationship with the inner wall 48 and spaced therefrom by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the wall panel 20 adapted to be received therebetween, and a back wall 52 interconnecting the inner and outer side walls at their inner edges. The entire structural member is adapted to be formed of a single strip of metal having portions which extend laterally from the central base section from which the channels 44 and 46 are formed by conventional metal forming processes to fold the laterally extending portions back to form the inner walls 48 of the channel sections, folding the remaining portions outwardly to form the interconnecting inner walls 52, and then forwardly to define the outer side walls 50 of the channel sections.

The described structural member is capable of two modifications for its use as a partitioning support. In one modification the channel sections 44 and 46 are formed with their back walls 52 spaced one from the other by an amount corresponding to the width of the stud 22. In this construction the outer walls 50 of the channel sections can terminate in substantially crosswise alignment with the corresponding edge of the inner wall 48 whereby the structural member will be substantially concealed by the wall panels when mounted in positions of use and the back walls 52 of each of the channel sections 44 and 46 can be formed with vertically spaced apart nail openings 54 for nailing the channels to the stud 22 when the stud is located in position of use between the channel sections so that the rearward portion of its side walls will extend between the back walls of the channel sections while the rearward face of the stud will abut the front face of the base member 26. Instead of providing nail holes 54 in the back walls of the channel sections for nailing the channel sections onto the stud, nail holes can be provided in the base member 26 to enable the nails to be driven through the base member into the back face of the stud. In the alternative, nail holes can be provided in both the back walls of the channel sections and in the base member for driving nails through the structural member into the stud.

The partitioning plate 36 extending across the top of the stud receives nails driven through the openings 38 into the partitioning plate 58 for attachment thereto. In this construction, the outer walls 50 of the channel sections 44 and 46 can be dimensioned to have a width which is less than that of the inner walls 48 of the channel sections.

In assembly, the structural member is first mounted in position of use by nailing to the upper plate and lower sill 12. The stud 22 is then fitted to position a rearward portion thereof in the channel section defined between the base plate 26 and the oppositely facing channel members 44 and 46 and the stud is secured in position of use by nailing through the back wall of the channel members or through the base plate or both. After the stud is thus secured in place, the wall panels 20 can be fitted into the channel sections 44 and 46 and secured in place by nailing through the side walls of the channel sections for which suitable openings 56 may be provided. Thereafter the partitioning panels can be aligned to extend substantially perpendicularly from the sill 12 and plate 10 in substantially abutting relationship with the side walls of the stud 22 for attachment thereto, as by nailing or other suitable fastening means. The partitioning plate 58 resting on the stud 22 is secured in position of use by nailing through the openings 38 in the forwardly extending flanged portion 36 at the top of the structural member. Thus a strong and secure partitioning assembly is effected.

It will be apparent in the modification described that the width of the structural member will correspond to the width of the stud 22 plus the widths of the two channel sections 44 and 46 which are located outwardly of the stud. A structural member of considerably lesser width and which makes use of considerably less material can be fabricated when the stud is adapted to be secured in position of use with its rear face in abutting relationship with the outer sides of the outer side walls of the channel sections 44 and 46, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

In this modification, the outer walls 50 of the channel sections are dimensioned to extend laterally for a short distance beyond the corresponding edges of the base member and inner wall of the channel section. This can be achieved either by narrowing the base member 26 or extending the outer walls 50 of the channel sections to a greater width than the inner Walls so that there will be a portion 70 extending freely beyond the base member. Nail openings 72 are provided in vertically spaced apart relation in the extension 70 whereby access can be had for driving nails or other fastening means through the openings 72 into the stud 22 when the stud is placed in position of use with its back side spanning the outer walls of the channel section and in abutting relation with the outer surfaces of said walls. Under such circumstances, the combined width of the outer walls of the channel section would correspond to the width of the stud and the base portion would be less than the width of the stud thereby to provide a much narrower but sturdy supporting structure.

It may also be desirable to provide aligned nail openings through the base member and the inner side walls 48 of the channel sections for nailing therethrough into the side panels fitted into the channel sections although such side panels need merely be slipped into the channel sections and subsequently fastened to other studs extending between the sill and the plate. In assembly, the structural member is secured as described to the upper plate 10 and the lower sill 12. The stud is then fitted against the outer side walls of the channel sections and secured in place by nails driven through the openings 72 in the side walls. Then the side wall panels are fitted into the channel sections 44 and 46 and they may be secured in place by nails driven through the openings in the base plate. The partition plate 58 is fitted onto the stud and secured in place by nails driven through the flange 36.

Instead of extending the outer walls of the channel sections to provide accessible openings 72 for driving nails therethrough for attachment to the stud, the free end portion of the outer wall can be turned substantially perpendicularly outwardly to provide a tongue having an outer end portion turned back through an angle of less than 180 but more than to provide a lip 82 which is adapted to anchor strongly and permanently in a receiving groove 84 routed out of the inner face of the stud to receive the latching tongue in position of use thereby strongly to interconnect the stud to the structural member. In this construction, the tongue and lip 80 and 82 will have an overall length no greater than the depth of the groove 84 to enable the tongue and lip to be received fully within the groove and the groove is dimensioned to have a width greater than twice the thickness of the tongue but less than the distance between the tongue and the outer end of the lip.

Under such circumstances, the portion of the stud 22 which extends beyond the tongue 80 formed from the outer end portion of the channel wall 50 will form a part of the channel section to cooperate with the inner wall 48 to define the channel space between which the wall panels are received. In this construction, the outer wall 50 of the channel sections 44 and 46 need extend for only a short distance beyond the back walls 52 and thereby function as a stop for the stud 22 and support for the gripping tongue and lip arrangement.

In assembly, the structural member is secured as previously described between the sill 12 and the plate 10. Following assembly, the stud 22 is displaced in position of use to receive the spaced tongues extending forwardly from the outer walls 50 of the channel sections 44 and 46. When the stud has been displaced to its fullest extent for rigid attachment to the structural member, the wall panels are inserted into the channel sections. They may be secured in place by nailing through the base portion 26 or through the stud. The top flange 36 is secured to the partitioning plate 58 in the manner previously described.

Instead of forming the tongue and lip from a portion of the outer wall of the channel sections, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the outer walls of the channel sections can be replaced in their entirety by the described tongue and spring lip, reliance being had on the portions of the stud 22 extending laterally from the tongue to define the outer wall of the channel sections in which the wall panels are received, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

Under this construction, the back wall 52 is formed with an extension 80 in the form of the described tongue and lip arrangement and the stud is routed to provide grooves spaced one from the other in the central portion by an amount corresponding to the spaced relationship between the channel back walls 52 so that the tongue and lip will be received in the grooves when the stud is displaced into position of use. In this arrangement, it is desirable to have the lips 82 facing in opposite directions for the most etfective and permanent attachment between the stud and the structural member. In order to limit the amount of displacement of the stud onto the described attaching means, it is desirable either to limit the depth of the groove routed into the stud to define the length of tongue received therein or else to provide an off-set or rib 8-6 at the end of the back wall and at the base of the tongue to define a stop for the displacement of the stud onto the structural member.

In the modification illustrated in FIG. 7, the upper and lower end portions 30 and 34 of the structural member will lie fiat against the front face of the top plate 10 and the bottom sill 12 for attachment thereto, as by means of nails or other fastening members extending through the openings 28 and 32 which are provided. In the portion between the sill 12 and the plate 10, the base portion 26 is formed by a suitable sheet metal forming machine to displace the central section of the base portion forwardly t0 define a rectangular member having a fiat central section 92 with substantially perpendicular side walls 94 and 96 extending rearwardly from the lateral outer edges of the central portion 92 to the inner edges of the outwardly extending flanged portions 98 and 100 which extend laterally in substantially parallel relation with the central portion 92 but spaced rearwardly therefrom by an amount corresponding to the thickness of the wall panels 20. The flanged portions 98 and 100 will lie substantially in the same plane as the end portions 30 and 34 and the body portion 26 of the structure as previously described.

The central section 92 is dimensioned to have a width less than the width of the stud 22 so that, when the stud is secured to the front face of the central section 92 of the structural member, portions of the stud will extend laterally beyond the central section in spaced parallel relation with the flanged portions 98 and 100 to define oppositely facing channel sections 44 and 46 therebetween dimensioned to have a width corresponding to the width of the Wall panels to receive the edge portions therein.

In this construction, fastening holes 28 and 32 are provided in the upper and lower end portions and 34 for fastening the structural member to the upper plate and the lower sill. Other openings are provided in the central section 92 for nailing or otherwise joining the stud 22 and the central section 92 with the backside of the stud abutting the outer face of the central section. Fastening openings are also provided in the flanged portions 98 and 100 for driving nails or other fastening means into the portion of the wall panels 20 received in the channel sections for effecting an assembled relationship therebetween.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that we have provided a new and simple structural member which may be used in new construction as well as old to define partitions in wall structures and to provide a simple and effective support for the wall panels thereof.

It will be understood that changes may be made in the details of construction, arrangement and operation without departing from the spirit of the invention, especially as defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a main wall and associated partitioning wall assembly which defines a corner between the partitioning wall and the main wall from which the partitioning wall extends substantially perpendicularly, said main wall including a top plate, a lower sill, stud members interconnecting the sill and plate and wall panels extending across the space between the sill and plate, and said partitioning wall including a partitioning sill and a partitioning plate with wall panels extending therebetween, the improvement comprising a unitary sheet metal member having a base portion attached at its top end to the top plate of said main wall and at its lower end to the lower still of said main wall, said base portion being dimensioned to have a length greater than the distance between the bottom of the top plate and the top of the sill but less than the distance between the top of the top plate and the bottom of the sill, a bent flange portion extending forwardly substantially perpendicularly from the upper end of the base portion and overlying said partitioning plate, a pair of outwardly facing channel sections formed from continuations of the lateral edge portions of the base portion, said channel sections comprising inner channel walls in substantially overlying parallel relation to the base portion and joined therewith at their outer edges, outer channel walls in substantially parallel relation with the inner channel walls and spaced therefrom by an amount at least as great as the thickness of said main wall panels, and back walls interconnecting the inner and outer channel walls at their inner edges, a tongue and return lip portion integrally formed in said sheet metal member and extending substantially perpendicularly forwardly from the outer edges of each outer channel wall, and a partitioning stud member, a pair of longitudinally aligned grooves defined by said partitioning stud member, said grooves being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between said tongue and lip portions, said tongue and lip portions being received in attaching relation within said aligned grooves in said partitioning stud member, said grooves being dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the length of the tongue and lip portions and a width less than the norm-a1 over-all width of the tongue and lip portions, said normal width corresponding to the width prior to insertion of said tongue and lip portions within said grooves.

2. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 in which the portions from which the channel sections are formed are spaced upwardly from the bottom of the base portion by an amount at least as great as the overlap with the sill and spaced downwardly from the top of the base portion by an amount corresponding to the overlap with the top plate so that the formed channel sections will be disposed in the space between the sill and plate.

3. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 which includes openings in the flanged portion for the passage of fastening means therethrough for attachment to the partioning plate.

4. An assembly in accordance with claim 1 which includes openings in the portions of the base portion adapted to overlap the top plate and the bottom sill for the passage of fastening means therethrough for attachment to the top plate and lower sill.

5. In a main wall and associated partitioning wall assembly which defines a corner between the partitioning wall and the main wall from which the partitioning wall extends substantially perpendicularly, said main wall including a top plate, a lower sill, stud members interconnecting the sill and plate and wall panels extending across the space between the sill and plate, and said partioning wall including a partitioning sill and a partioning plate with wall panels extending therebetween, the improvement comprising a unitary sheet metal member having a base portion attached at its top end to the top plate of said main wall and at its lower end to the lower sill of said main wall, said base portion being dimensioned to have a length greater than the distance between the bottom of the top plate and the top of the sill but less than the distance between the top of the top plate and the bottom of the sill, a bent flange portion extending forwardly substantially perpendicularly from the upper end of the base portion and overlying said partitioning plate, a pair of outwardly facing sections formed from continuations of the lateral edge portions of the base portion, said sections comprising inner walls in substantially overlying parallel relation to the base portion and joined thereto at their forward edges, a back wall integral with the inner edge of each inner wall and extending substantially forwardly therefrom for a distance corresponding to the thickness of said wall panels, and a portion extending forwardly from the back wall having an edge portion turned backwardly as a spring lip to form a tongue and lip, and a partitioning stud member, a pair of longitudinally aligned grooves defined by said partitioning stud member, said grooves being spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between said tongue and lip portions, said tongue and lip portions being received in attaching relation within said aligned grooves in said partitioning stud member, said grooves being dimensioned to have a length corresponding to the length of the tongue and lip portions and a width less than the normal over-all width of the tongue and lip portions, said normal width corresponding to the width prior to insertion of said tongue and lip portions within said grooves.

6. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 wherein the portions extending forwardly from the back walls of said sheet metal member comprise continuous extensions of said back walls.

7. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 which includes openings in the portions of the base portion adapted to overlap the top plate and the bottom sill for the passage of fastening means therethrough for attachment to the top plate and lower sill.

8. An assembly in accordance with claim 5 which includes an offset between the back wall and the tongue to function as a stop for the partitioning stud.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1907 Plym 204 X 6/1932 Thune 20-4 10/1934 McInerney 204 11/1945 Balduf 204 3/ 1948 Birdsall 2092 3/1964 Conville 204 FOREIGN PATENTS 1957 Norway.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

5. IN A MAIN WALL AND ASSOCIATED PARTITIONING WALL ASSEMBLY WHICH DEFINES A CORNER BETWEEN THE PARTITIONING WALL AND THE MAIN WALL FROM WHICH THE PARTITIONING WALL EXTENDS SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY, SAID MAIN WALL INCLUDING A TOP PLATE, A LOWER SILL, STUD MEMBERS INTERCONNECTING THE SILL AND PLATE AND WALL PANELS EXTENDING ACROSS THE SPACE BETWEEN THE SILL AND PLATE, AND SAID PARTIONING WALL INCLUDING A PARTITIONING SILL AND A PARTITIONING PLATE WITH WALL PANELS EXTENDING THEREBETWEEN, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A UNITARY SHEET METAL MEMBER HAVING A BASE PORTION ATTACHED AT ITS TOP END TO THE TOP PLATE OF SAID MAIN WALL AND AT ITS LOWER END TO THE LOWER SILL OF SAID MAIN WALL, SAID BASE PORTION BEING DIMENSIONED TO HAVE A LENGTH GREATER THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE BOTTOM OF THE TOP PLATE AND THE TOP OF THE SILL BUT LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TOP OF THE TOP PLATE AND THE BOTTOM OF THE SILL, A BENT FLANGE PORTION EXTENDING FORWARDLY SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY FROM THE UPPER END OF THE BASE PORTION AND OVERLYING SAID PARTITIONING PLATE, A PAIR OF OUTWARDLY FACING SECTIONS FORMED FROM CONTINUATIONS OF THE LATERAL EDGE PORTIONS OF THE BASE PORTION, SAID SECTIONS COMPRISING INNER WALLS IN SUBSTANTIALLY OVERLYING PARALLEL RELATION TO THE BASE PORTION AND JOINED THERETO AT THEIR FORWARD EDGES, A BACK WALL INTEGRAL WITH THE INNER EDGE OF EACH INNER WALL AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FORWARDLY THEREFROM FOR A DISTANCE CORRESPONDING TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID WALL PANELS, AND A PORTION EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM THE BACK WALL HAVING AN EDGE PORTION TURNED BACKWARDLY AS A SPRING LIP TO FORM A TONGUE AND LIP, AND A PARTITIONING STUD MEMBER, A PAIR OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED GROOVES DEFINED BY SAID PARTITIONING STUD MEMBER, SAID GROOVES BEING SPACED APART A DISTANCE CORRESPNDING TO THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID TONGUE AND LIP PORTIONS, SAID TONGUE AND LIP PORTIONS BEING RECEIVED IN ATTACHING RELATION WITHIN SAID ALIGNED GROOVES IN SAID PARTITIONING STUD MEMBER, SAID GROOVES BEING DIMENSIONED TO HAVE A LENGTH CORRESPONDING TO THE LENGTH OF THE TONGUE AND LIP PORTIONS AND A WIDTH LESS THAN THE NORMAL OVER-ALL WIDTH OF THE TONGUE AND LIP PORTIONS, SAID NORMAL WIDTH CORRESPONDING TO THE WIDTH PRIOR TO INSERTION OF SAID TONGUE AND LIP PORTIONS WITHIN SAID GROOVES. 